Boston
Boston, pronounced “Bah-stin” to locals, is a city dripping with history. What makes Boston so great? This Anglophile and history lover has found the city to be one with old roots, charming winding streets, great food, and idyllic houses with window boxes overflowing with blossoming flowers.
Visiting Boston is best in the fall. Early to mid-October is when the leaves are at their peak. Photos simply do not capture how beautiful New England becomes this time of year. The trees truly appear to be on fire, with red, orange and yellow leaves swaying in the breeze.
Boston is the gateway to New England – mere hours away from Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and Connecticut by car.
Be sure to have some “chow-da” and “lob-sta” for an authentic Boston experience!
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Quincy Market
Located in downtown Boston, steps away from the waterfront, Faneuil Hall Boston is alive today as it was in 1742 when our nation’s fathers proclaimed it “The Cradle of Liberty.” Customers enjoy unique, locally loved, and nationally recognized shops while indulging in the worldwide cuisine at our restaurants, pubs, and in the world-famous Quincy Market Colonnade. The cobblestone promenades are filled with the music and jaw-dropping routines of world-renowned street performers and musicians. Faneuil Hall Marketplace is at the top of the list of things to see in Boston.
Beacon Hill
Beacon Hill is about one square mile in size, and is surrounded by some well-known streets, including:
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Beacon Street
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Bowdoin Street
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Cambridge Street, and
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Storrow Drive.
Beacon Hill’s architecture and layout reflect old colonial Boston. Brick row houses feature ornate doors and decorative iron work. Its narrow streets are lined with brick sidewalks and gas lamps. Charles Street features antique shops and a variety of local restaurants and other businesses.
Bunker Hill
On June 17, 1775, New England soldiers faced the British army for the first time in a pitched battle. Popularly known as "The Battle of Bunker Hill," bloody fighting took place throughout a hilly landscape of fenced pastures that were situated across the Charles River from Boston. Though the British forces claimed the field, the casualties inflicted by the Provincial solders from Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Hampshire were staggering. Of the some 2,400 British Soldiers and Marines engaged, some 1,000 were wounded or killed.
USS Constitution
USS Constitution, the world's oldest commissioned warship afloat, promotes the United States Navy and America's naval heritage through educational outreach, public access and historic demonstrations both in port and underway in Boston Harbor.
Located inside Boston National Historical Park as part of the Charlestown Navy Yard in Charlestown, Massachusetts and part of Boston's Freedom Trail, USS Constitution is open for public visitation, free of charge, throughout the year.
The Freedom Trail
Walk Into History along the iconic Freedom Trail – the 2.5 mile red line leading to nationally significant historic sites, each one an authentic treasure. Preserved and dedicated by the citizens of Boston in 1951, the Freedom Trail is a unique collection of museums, churches, meeting houses, burying grounds, parks, a ship, and historic markers that tell the story of the American Revolution and beyond.
Boston Public Library
In 1986, the National Park Service designated the McKim building a National Historic Landmark, citing it as “the first outstanding example of Renaissance Beaux-Arts Classicism in America.” Within the McKim Building are exquisite murals series by John Singer Sargent, Edwin Austin Abbey, and Pierre Puvis de Chavannes, a peaceful inner courtyard, and additional works of famed sculptors and painters that can be viewed via the library’s daily art and architecture tours.
Omni Parker House
The location was perfect. As a first time visitor to Boston, the location allowed me to walk the entire freedom trail with ease. We were close to Newbury street, a great location for dinner.
Overall, the stay was very comfortable. The lobby and room were clean and well kept. The staff was top notch and accommodating. The hotel has a classic charm, while being modern and well maintained. I will definitely stay here when I'm back in Boston.
Room Tip: Parking is only valet, and costs $45 a night!
Taj Boston
Ideally located at Arlington and Newbury streets, the city’s most coveted address, Taj Boston is surrounded by art galleries and boutiques, and is in close proximity to the Theatre District and other historic sites. It overlooks the picturesque Public Garden with swan boat rides and the Boston Common's ice-skating at Frog Pond. Famous shopping areas—Copley Place and Hynes Convention Centre, are a stone’s throw away. It is only five miles from the airport.
Salem, MA
Salem is a city on the north coast of Massachusetts above Boston. It's famous for its 1692 witch trials, during which several locals were executed for allegedly practicing witchcraft. Landmarks from this episode include the Witch House, the former home of a trial judge. The Peabody Essex Museum has a massive collection of global art and artifacts, including a rebuilt Qing-era Chinese house.
Waldon Pond
Let a visit to Walden Pond bring you back in time to the mid-1800's. Experience the connection with nature that inspired Henry David Thoreau's Walden. Enjoy a day of swimming, walking around the famous pond or boating out on the water. Also be sure to visit the replica of Thoreau's single-room cabin.
Cambridge, MA
This is a place where no one blinks if you're having the time of your life while changing the world. Where else can you rub tweedy elbows with status-quo-challenging scholars, drop into a hypnotic African drumming dance class, or scoot into a bar for the best bacon-topped burger of your life? (Seriously, you'll dine well here in the land of cult-worthy restaurants.) No matter which neighborhood you find yourself in, Cambridge's scene teems with eclectic energy. When you have nearly four centuries' worth of compounded history and the gorgeous Charles River to wake up to, everyday, each moment in the city is worthy of joy—curious, infectious, slightly mischievous joy.
